First timer posting, as I am excitedly getting ready for my install date at GFC HQ on August 17th!
I am driving from Ventura, CA and will be stopping in Salt Lake City for one night before doing the rest of the drive to Belgrade the following day.
Looking to break-in the camper on the way back, so planning to spend 3 nights camping along the route home. Thinking 1st night stop somewhere around Yellowstone, 2nd night around the Tetons, 3rd night somewhere in Utah (perhaps near SLC).
Any suggestions on campsites, places to stop, restaurants or general knowledge for this route? Ideally looking for campsites with less people, free or no reservations? Enjoy camping near bodies of water and rivers and/or hot springs.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you!
Wherever you plan to go around Yellowstone and/or Teton, book it early or have multiple backups. It’s definitely the busy season and things go quick.
There is dispersed camping near the Tetons near Shadow Mountain and also on the Idaho side of Teton pass. Id recommend hiking to to one of the lakes in the park or parking at Lupine meadows and hiking as far as you want. You could also setup a raft day trip on one of the river. Pearl Street Bagels is great for breakfast and the Creekside Market is great for sandwiches.
You could also camp in the Uintas, 1.5 hours east of SLC. Tons of camping and lakes along Mirror Lake Highway.
It’s mtb park season so for me I’d hit up big sky, then Jackson hole, and park city or deer valley on the way home lol.
But I’m from Agoura hills, took my family on the Belgrade trip back in 2021. We stopped in Yellowstone the first night, luckily scored a site at bridge bay camp ground. Onx offroad was a big help finding dispersed camping on the way home.
I will say if you’re looking to avoid the huge crowds of yellowstone etc i found the madison river valley area around Ennis to be incredibly beautiful.
Definitely wasn’t dispersed but I had a late afternoon install on 7/18 and wanted something relatively near and sure. As such, the drive to Rainbow Point Campground in West Yellowstone was beautiful and the site, aside from not being wild, was an ideal distance.
Post a screen cap of your proposed route home from MT, that way we will know what would be practical. I don’t even know where Ventura is…! How far off your main route are you willing to detour?
What is your tolerance for smoke?
Mid August anywhere in the high desert is probably going to be VERY uncomfortable for tent camping, AKA “stinking hot”, unless you go very high (10,000 feet) and plan your stops just before dark, and that means significant detours. Or plan on motels.
For the third night Great Basin NP might work, but always check online for temporary or seasonal closures, summer means road and infrastructure maintenance in the parks.
FYI you will have to completely empty out your truck bed before the GFC installation, so pack accordingly and arrive early…
Honestly I would avoid Yellowstone and spend your time elsewhere. It’s so crowded, lots of tourists with traffic, and make a separate plan to go back in the fall after the crowds are gone. I also recommend the Uintas outside of Weber along Mirror Lake Highway, had a buddy come back from a fly fishing trip there and he said it was amazing.
